Golden Gate Park and Fort Funston are crawling with ticks. Even if your dog has prevention, such as a tick collar, they still crawl off of him and on to you! Be sure to check your dog over carefully when you return home and frequent grooming and chemicals for control may help to control the spread.
Ticks can detect heat emitted from dogs and humans from far distances and will often situate themselves on well traveled paths to gain access to hosts. They will generally drop off the animal when full, but this may take several days. In some cases ticks will live for some time on the blood of an animal. Ticks are more active outdoors in warm weather, but can attack a dog at any time. Ticks can be found in most wooded or forested regions throughout the world. As a San Francisco dog walker, I find that they are especially common in areas where there are deer trails or human tracks. Ticks are especially abundant near water, where warm-blooded animals come to drink, and in meadows wherever shrubs and brush provide woody surfaces and cover. Ticks are a vector for a number of diseases including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
The American dog tick
The American dog tick is perhaps the most well-known of the North American hard ticks. This tick does not carry Lyme disease but can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. As a San Francisco dog walker I have come across them numerous times.
The black-legged tick
The Western black-legged tick lives in the western part of North America and is responsible for spreading Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It tends to prefer livestock such as cows as its adult host.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can be lethal. Initial signs and symptoms of the disease include sudden onset of fever, headache and muscle pain followed by development of rash. The disease can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages, and without prompt and appropriate treatment it can be fatal. Tetracycline has dramatically reduced the number of deaths caused by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
The San Francisco dog walkers top tips
Check your dog over when you get home. Put your clothes in the dryer on high heat or just simply wash them in hot water. Be sure to check yourself over too!
Posted by The San Francisco Dog Walker – Excerpt from Save McLaren Park Newsletter
Ticks are currently abundant in McLaren Park. Tom Scott of Save McLaren Park said, “In the past two weeks alone I’ve found 3 different ticks on me. I don’t recall finding any ticks in the previous 8 years that I’ve been going to the park. My dog remains tick-free thanks to the medication she uses.”
Suggestions when going to the park: Apply mosquito repellent, especially to your legs and even if you’re wearing pants. Also, it’s a good idea to check yourself after returning from the park. Ticks tend to go for warm moist areas, such as armpits and groins.
Tom explains, “the ticks I found on myself have been identified as Dermacentor variabilis, also known as American Dog Tick and Wood Tick. This species is not known to carry Lyme Disease, but it can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It’s unlikely, though, that the ticks in McLaren carry this disease. I don’t think this is an urgent health concern for park users, but something to be aware of.”
Five documented cases of Leptospirosis in the past two months! Don’t let your pets near muddy puddles in the parks or dead seals on the beaches! Leptospirosis is rarely seen in San Francisco’s dog population, but this year, it’s rampant.
This potentially fatal bacteria is spread through the urine of infected animals, particularly wildlife like raccoons, skunks and coyotes. If excreted in standing water, it can live for weeks if not months, infecting dogs and other animals tramping through or drinking from puddles. This year’s marked increase in leptospirosis cases is likely due to the mud and puddles left by the rains.
When the disease is caught in time, most studies show a 75 percent survival rate. Unfortunately, the initial symptoms can be hard to recognize. Symptoms are often non-specific and variable, and can include lethargy, decreased appetite, increased drinking and/or urination, vomiting or diarrhea.
Leptospirosis is preventable: the canine DHLPP vaccine protects against the bacteria, as well as against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. Though the vaccine is not 100 percent effective, it is a dog’s best defense.
If your dog seems to be under the weather, “it is important to bring up to your veterinarian that your dog is out at the park or swims a lot, as these lifestyle components increase exposure to leptospirosis.
The DHLPP vaccination is available at any veterinary office.
Compared to the other dog walking companies in San Francisco, we have the best transport system, hands down! We keep your pet safe and comfortable with our superior vehicle system that includes large wire crates with toweled bedding to catch all the debris from the park. With Doggie Business you will achieve all of your pet health goals and will be enjoying a more exclusive service than anyone else offers in the dog-care industry.
We are licensed, insured, bonded and certified dog walkers. Because we are small, we can only offer our services to a limited number of residents in San Francisco. Our pick up area is exclusively the Sunset – West Portal Area in San Francisco. If you are looking for a premium service and reside in our limited pick up area, you are in luck!
